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Climate resilience is the ability to anticipate, prepare for, and respond to hazardous events, trends, or disturbances related to climate (C2ES, 2022). Mitigation focuses on reducing the human impacts contributing to climate change (Burton, 2007, cited in Rousell & Cutter-Mackenzie-Knowles, 2020). Adaptation is about increasing people’s adaptive capacity, reducing the vulnerability of communities and managing risks (Anderson, 2012). Anderson further defines adaptation as not just being able to adapt from one stable climate to another but having the skills to adapt to uncertainty and make informed decisions in a changing environment. While ‘climate change’ is the term used throughout these briefs, it should be read as a shorthand for a more inclusive approach, which also captures associated environmental degradation. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warned, in their latest report, that global surface temperatures will continue to increase until 2050 (IPCC, 2021, p. 17). This will take place regardless of human intervention to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The report also warns that the traditional technocratic approaches are insufficient to tackle the challenge of climate change, and that greater focus on the structural causes is needed. High- and upper-middle-income countries have been persistently shown to be the biggest contributors to the global carbon dioxide emissions, with lower income countries facing the most disruptive climate hazards, with Africa countries particularly vulnerable (CDP, 2020; IPCC, 2021). The vulnerability of low-income contexts exacerbates this risk, as there is often insufficient infrastructure and resources to ensure resilience to climate hazards (IPCC, 2021). For decades, advocates of climate change education have been highlighting the potential of education to help mitigate against climate change, and support adaptation efforts. However, implementation has been patchy, with inconsistent approaches and a lack of evidence to help determine the most effective way forward.This paper is divided into three sections, drawing together evidence on the key aspects of system reform,green and resilient infrastructure and Curriculum, pedagogy, assessment and teacher development.

This report explores the current uptake and completion of secondary education globally, with a particular focus on sub-Saharan Africa. The report also explores the wider societal benefits of increased secondary completion rates, and the financial considerations that are needed to increase uptake and completion. Using data from UIS (2022) and UNESCO WIDE (2022), the report identified disparities in net enrolment, attendance and completion between primary and both levels of secondary education, particularly upper secondary. In sub-Saharan African countries, achievements in net enrolment at primary level are rarely met with high enrolment levels at either lower or upper secondary level, with this difference even more stark when observing completion rates. Currently, both lower and upper secondary education is not a funding priority amongst many countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Of the 27 countries included in analysis, only one country (Mauritius) spent a higher proportion on secondary education compared to other levels (UIS, 2022). Some countries were found to spend a higher proportion of GDP on tertiary education compared to other education levels, with over double the amount spent on tertiary compared to both lower and upper secondary education combined in some instances (Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, South Sudan) (UIS, 2022).

Tanzania has made great strides in increasing enrolment rates amidst a rapidly growing population. However, despite gains made in primary enrolment, completion rates have not exceeded 70% in the past five years, and enrolment at secondary level remains low (37%). An analysis of expenditure suggests a lack of equitability in distribution of funds within the education sector. Having achieved near universal enrolment at primary level, since 2016 the Government of Tanzania has almost doubled spend on secondary education and increased spending on higher education. In the same period, however, spend per pupil at primary level has halved suggesting that budget is being directed away from pre-primary and primary education to fund secondary, with higher education slightly increasing. Furthermore, the Education Sector Analysis outlines that 35% of the education budget is spent on the top 10% highest educated in the system (Kahangwa et al. 2021, 168). In addition to disparities on spend by education level, regional differences persist in the number of classrooms, textbooks, desks and teacher shortages also exist. Despite current disparities and challenges, Tanzania’s economic growth in recent years suggests that, with increased commitment in minimum spending on education as a proportion of GDP, the education needs of the population could be met. However, this would assume continued economic growth and require a greater proportion of spend to be allocated to education, suggesting trade-offs may be required.